NEW MILFORD — For New Milford town officials the term “being railroaded” has new meaning as they bristle over Housatonic Railroad’s closing of the crossing over Waller Road.
The railroad closed the crossing Aug. 21 after a large truck allegedly was caught up on the tracks, damaging them. An emergency closure for track repair was obtained from the DOT, but Housatonic moved forward with a more permanent closing of the crossing as it wrote DOT for permanent closing permission.
Residents of the road, Richard Stalter and Susan Grisell, told Town Council members Monday that the large oil truck that needs to deliver oil to Stalter’s house cannot turn around as the end of the road stands now.
Public Works Director Mike Zarba said Housatonic has not met any of the requirements previously voiced by the town that had to be met for a permanent closing of the crossing to occur.
Mayor Pat Murphy has reached out to State Senator Clark Chapin and State Rep. Cecilia Buck-Taylor to put pressure on the DOT to require that the crossing be reopened. Zarba is also applying pressure from the town.
This was a the site of the railroad crossing at Waller and Brown’s Forge Roads until Aug. 21 when Housatonic Railroad closed the crossing.